Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto reportedly plans to resign as co-leader of Ishin no To (Japan Innovation Party) to focus on local elections in the spring, a move likely to further weaken the party's clout at the national level.
Ishin no To Secretary-General Ichiro Matsui plans to step down as well. Party members are urging the two to make a public promise to return to their posts after the local elections, media reports said Tuesday.
Party executives planned to meet in the afternoon in Tokyo, to be followed a general assembly of the party's members in the Diet later in the day.